I’m Not Right, But I Give A Damn

There’s a bee swarm of incoherent rage that’s been in my head the past week or two. The unconscionable separation and detainment of children by our administration, on top of the other abuses that we’ve endured since January 2017, is so mind-bogglingly enormous that it’s practically inconceivable.

It’s been a struggle continuing to live a mundane life — feeding Olly, going to work, having fun — while attempting to do something about our terrible government. It’s the knife’s edge of burnout, where doing too little (or nothing at all) is unethical, but doing too much will consume you and break your back. Until recently, my tactics were two: 1) fund orgs like the ACLU who challenge unconscionable actions, and 2) write my representatives when, ehem, encouragement is needed to do the right thing.

Strategy 1 feels like a cop-out. Sure, I’ll throw money around, but that only goes so far. Strategy 2 I stopped doing recently. While my house rep and one of my senators is generally responsive to constituent communications, the other senator is as cowardly as they come, and has copped out of every opportunity to stand up to Trump, so writing him is practically useless.

Arguing on the internet is a waste of time. I’m sick of hearing from red MAGA hats with their conspiracy theories and victim-blaming. I’m also sick of my self-righteous leftist friends saying “I told you so” or “I voted for Bernie/Stein/Labour”. Without going into “both sides” territory here (the right lost the moral argument ages ago), there is one thing they have in common:

“Fuck you, I’m right, who cares.”

You know what? I’m not right. I don’t claim to be right. “Beginner’s mind” isn’t just an abstract concept for me. I’m constantly learning things and changing assumptions every day — challenging my skills at work, learning how to take care of a cat at home, and watching as a parade of skeletons marches out of our country’s closet on 24/7 news.

I wasn’t right when I thought Hillary would poll better than Bernie against Trump. (Here you go, that one’s for free.)

I’m not right. But I give a damn.

And you Trump supporters, with your excuses of “but the Democrats” and “we’re just obeying the law” and “it’s Biblically justified.” What matters more? That some 30-something, overweight developer-cum-writer capitulates? Or that children aren’t kept in cages?